CONTENT
• Family Unit
• St. Paul’s Teaching on the Family
• Responsibility of Each Member of the Family
• The Behavior Which could Destabilize a Family
FAMILY UNIT
Family unit is the smallest unit of the larger society. It consists of the father, the mother and the children. It may include members of the extended family which are uncles, cousins, grandparents, niece, etc. Traditionally the father is the head of the family. The man’s decision has far-reaching consequences in determining the peace, unity and progress of the family. For this reason the man and his wife must maintain discipline to be able to take good decisions. The family unit makes up the larger society form the basis of government and the first training ground for both spiritual and moral education.
A healthy and united family would definitely produce healthy and discipline people that make up a nation. Broken homes (families) produce immoral children that end up as criminals and as such the whole nation is affected by their criminal activities. A healthy society can only be produced by healthy family unit within the society.
Healthy family units can only be built where the individuals that make up the units know their duties and responsibilities and perform them faithfully.
EVALUATION:
- What is meant by the ideal family?
- What is the significance of the family unit in the church?
ST. PAUL’S TEACHING ON THE FAMILY
Love and obedience are the only strong forces that can bring unity in a family. For this reason, Paul in his epistle to the Colossians called on wives to be submissive to their husband as it is fitting in the Lord and husbands to love their wives and not to be harsh on them. Children should honor and regard their parents in everything, for this pleases God. Fathers should not provoke their children lest they become discouraged. He equally advised slaves to obey their earthly masters in everything, not with eye service as men pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord. Family units are institution set up by God himself. St. Paul in his epistle expressed what God has in mind for the Christians. If people obey the rules laid down by St Paul in running their families, they will not have broken homes as it is often the case today.
EVALUATION
- Discuss Paul’s teaching on the ideal family relationship.
- Mention three areas in which many families have deviated from this teaching.
RESPONSILITIES OF EACH MEMBER OF THE FAMILY
By marriage, the man and the woman become one. A Christian family therefore is a home where husband and wife strive together to actualize their union, with God, as the head. This oneness as a result of the union should therefore make the wives to be subject to their husbands; just as the husbands should not be harsh to their wives, treating them gently as the weaker sex. Indeed only a husband who loves his wife loves himself, by reason of this oneness. The duties of each of family member are outlined below.
The Husband
He is the head of the family. He is to love his wife and not to be harsh to her; as well as not to provoke his children. The wife and the children look to him for love, sympathy and guardian. The husband is the law-maker. He is also to protect the interest of members of his family.
The Wife
She is the help-mate to the husband. She should be submissive to her husband. She is to her husband what the church is to Christ. She should lay good example for the children.
The Children
Children are to obey their parents in the Lord, they are not to be provoked by their parents. If they are provoked, children may feel unloved and lose their courage. They may be afraid and that may prevent them from speaking out their minds.
The Slave
To an extent slaves or servants are members of the families where they find themselves. Here they have roles to play in the well-being of the family. Paul advises them to be obedient to their masters by showing genuine commitment, “fearing the Lord”. The implication of this is that their masters are bound to treat them better. An ideal family therefore, is one where Christ is recognized as having a role in the well-being of the family. It is one where there is mutual respect, submission love and obedience among members and where children are nourished, sustained and assisted to develop their potentials. A husband and his wife are joint-heirs with Christ.
To this end they are under divine obligation to seek and maintain the type of relationship that is pleasing to God.
EVALUATION
- What are the roles and responsibilities of husbands, wives, children and slaves in the family?
- How have today’s families kept to these responsibilities?
THE BEHAVIUOR WHICH COULD DESTABILIZE A FAMILY
Many families have deviated from this laid down standard in Paul’s epistle. They have adopted some negative attitude and behavior in running their families and these has led to the breakdown of some families. Such behaviors are
- If husband claims the monopoly of wisdom, taking unilateral decisions and relegating their wives to the background, thereby being harsh to them.
- When parents no longer see to the general welfare of their children, thereby provoking them at the slightest misconduct. Some parents spank their children recklessly.
- When love no longer exist between today’s couples. Husbands have turned their wives to punching bags speaking to them with the harshest words.
- Most women no longer submit to their husbands, especially those that are breadwinners
- Children no longer obey their parents. Some take delight in insulting or even fighting their parents, sometimes publicly.
- There is no divine guidance today in choosing a husband or a wife. The lust for worldly desires has made parents to forsake their obligations to their children. Hence children are walking parallel to their parents.
EVALUATION
- Explain the behavior that can destabilize the family
- Explain why slaves can be regarded as part of the family.
GENERAL EVALUATION
- What is the significance of the family unit in the church?
- Mention three areas in which many families have deviated from the teaching of the ideal family.
- According to Paul, discuss the ideal family relationship.
- How, according to Paul can a Christian rightly become a child of God?
- Explain the fatherhood of God.
READING ASSIGNMENT
Essential Christian Religious Knowledge for SS1 – 3 By Edmond Ugochukwu page 210-212
RSV Bible Read Colossians 3:18-22
WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT
- In his epistle the Colossians Paul taught that in an ideal family, there should exist A. respect, hope and authority B. Obedience worship and consideration C. Love, obedience and respect D. love and unity
- According to St. Paul, Parents responsibility to the children in the home is that they should A. not provoke them to wrath B. honour them C. provide for them D. play with them
- The responsibility of children in the family is similar to that of A. the husband B. the wives C. The slaves. D. sleep and play
- The responsibility of children to parents is A. reverence them B. worship them C. honour them
D. attack them - According to Paul, which of this, is not part of the family unit A. husband B. wife C. slave D. children
THEORY
- Mention three areas in which many families have deviated from the ideal family unit.
- What is the significance of the family unit in the church?
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